Dr Alex Buchanan resigned from Rotary Melbourne in 2019 due to ill health. At the time he wrote ‘I have been a member of 4 rotary clubs since rotary gave me several remarkable opportunities and honours which I shall cherish for the rest of my life’. As a devoted Rotarian, Buchanan helped to manage Rotary’s Royce and Jean Abbey Endowment Fund.
Alex was a retired food technologist and scientist. He studied agriculture and science as a 1959–60 ambassadorial scholar at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, USA. His research has led to improvements in food production to support developing nations and emergency relief activities. Among Alex’s accomplishments are the development of the Australian milk biscuit, a high-protein biscuit used by the Australian government and many Rotary clubs for emergency food aid, and the creation of affordable, nutritionally balanced infant food for health centres in Thailand. Alex also helped implement the first successful cooperative food research projects between Australia and the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
He was a charming intelligent gentleman. He and his wife Jo were often gracious hosts for the Peninsula Group meetings at their beautiful Flinders home. He was a great beneficiary of Rotary, as a scholar and then went on to serve Rotary with great honour, receiving a Rotary International Global Alumni Service to Humanity in 2008-09.
This Award honours one person each year who is a former Foundation program recipient and whose extraordinary service to humanity and professional achievements exemplify the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self.
Funeral Notice for Dr Alex BUCHANAN
A memorial service for Dr Alex Buchanan will be held at Tobin Brothers Chapel, 604 Esplanade Mt Martha on Thursday November 3, 2022 commencing at 10.00am.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: www.florey.edu.au/donate
